止めを刺す

Japanese

Alternative spelling
とどめを刺す

From 止め (“finishing blow”) +‎ を +‎ 刺す (“to stab”).

止(とど)めを刺(さ)す • (todome o sasu) godan (stem 止(とど)めを刺(さ)し (todome o sashi), past 止(とど)めを刺(さ)した (todome o sashita))

finish off, deliver the final blow (so to ensure (something) is dead)
ライオンが獲物(えもの)に一撃(いちげき)でとどめを刺(さ)した。
Raion ga emono ni ichigeki de todome o sashita.
The lion put an end to his prey with one stroke.
(idiomatic) deliver the final blow (so to ensure (someone or something) to have no hope for recovery)
盗作問題(とうさくもんだい)で、作家生命(さっかせいめい)に止(とど)めを刺(さ)された。
Tōsaku mondai de , sakka seimei ni todome o sasareta.
The person's career in writing was ended due to problems in plagiarism.
(idiomatic) ～に止めを刺す: to be the best for
山(やま)は、やはり富士山(ふじさん)に止(とど)めを刺(さ)す
yama wa , yahari fujisan nitodome o sasu
Nonetheless, Mt. Fuji is the best mountain.
(idiomatic) to clearly explain (so to avoid problems that could happen later on)
期日(きじつ)までに完成(かんせい)しなければ責任(せきにん)をとってもらうと、止(とど)めを刺(さ)しておく。
Kijitsu made ni kansei shinakereba sekinin o tottemorau to , todome o sashiteoku.
I'll say it beforehand. If you can't complete within the time limit, you will be held responsible.

Conjugation of "止めを刺す" (See Appendix:Japanese verbs.)

Katsuyōkei ("stem forms")
Mizenkei ("imperfective")	止めを刺さ	とどめをささ	todome o sasa
Ren’yōkei ("continuative")	止めを刺し	とどめをさし	todome o sashi
Shūshikei ("terminal")	止めを刺す	とどめをさす	todome o sasu
Rentaikei ("attributive")	止めを刺す	とどめをさす	todome o sasu
Kateikei ("hypothetical")	止めを刺せ	とどめをさせ	todome o sase
Meireikei ("imperative")	止めを刺せ	とどめをさせ	todome o sase
Key constructions
Passive	止めを刺される	とどめをさされる	todome o sasareru
Causative	止めを刺させる止めを刺さす	とどめをささせるとどめをささす	todome o sasaseru todome o sasasu
Potential	止めを刺せる	とどめをさせる	todome o saseru
Volitional	止めを刺そう	とどめをさそう	todome o sasō
Negative	止めを刺さない	とどめをささない	todome o sasanai
Negative continuative	止めを刺さず	とどめをささず	todome o sasazu
Formal	止めを刺します	とどめをさします	todome o sashimasu
Perfective	止めを刺した	とどめをさした	todome o sashita
Conjunctive	止めを刺して	とどめをさして	todome o sashite
Hypothetical conditional	止めを刺せば	とどめをさせば	todome o saseba